Plans For New Riverside Park in Minneapolis Revealed

A fabulous new riverside park seems to be in the works, as the Minneapolis Park Board has officially approved a project that involves demolishing the vacant Fuji-Ya restaurant that overlooks St. Anthony Falls and replacing it with a new public park space.

According to reports, the city has agreed to a $2 million contract with a design team that’s led by Damon Farber Associates of Minneapolis, but will also include HGA Architects and Engineers, MacDonald & Mack Architects, Barr Engineering, Kimley Horn and Associates, Toole Design Group, The Musicant Group, Mortenson Construction and 106 Group.

In all, the new park, which will completely revitalize a four-block area surrounding Mill Ruins Park, is expected to cost around $27 million, but much of that expense will be absorbed by local fundraising from the Minneapolis Parks Foundation. About 70% of the $27 million has already been raised and demolition of the abandoned restaurant could begin as early as this year.

If all goes according to plan, the first phase of the new park should be finished in 2019 with the entire project expected to be done sometime before 2023.